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THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Series Two: The Papers of Sir Joseph Banks, 1743-1805

Part 1: Correspondence and Papers relating to Voyages of Discovery,
1740-1805, from the British Library

DETAILED LISTING

The details provided here are largely based on the catalogues of the Additional Manuscript series produced by the British Library. Further details have been extracted from the volumes themselves.

REEL 1

Add. MSS 8094-8095 (Part of Add MSS 8094-8100, a portion of the Foreign Correspondence of the late Sir Joseph Banks, in seven volumes quarto. [See the Calendar of the Banks Letters published by the British Museum (Natural History) London, 1958]. Bequeathed by Sir Jos. Banks Bt. 1828)

8094 Letters to Banks, 1768-80
8095 Letters to Banks, 1781-84

These include letters from Broussonet, de Bougainville, de Jussieu, Fabricius, Benjamin Franklin, Lamarck, Linnaeus, Migneron and others. There is much on Franklin’s balloon experiments - in fact Franklin feels that he has to apologise: “You have probably had enough of my Correspondence on the Subject of the Balloons.” (Add MS 8095, fo.178, 15 Dec 1883) But Banks remained a good listener and he also provided Franklin with information regarding his own exploits, prompting Franklin to thank him: “I am to thank you too, for the Share you had in procuring his Majesty’s Orders for sending me a Copy of Capt. Cook’s Voyage, thru Lord Howe.” (Add MS 8095, fo.2828).

REEL 2

Add MS 8096 (Part of Add MSS 8094-8100, as above) Letters to Banks, 1785-87. Includes letters from Boddart, Broussonet, Coulomb, Murray and Solander.

REEL 3

Add MS 8097 (Part of Add MSS 8094-8100, as above) Letters to Banks, 1788-1791. Includes letters from Blumenbach, Swarz and others.

REEL 4

Add MS 8098 (Part of Add MSS 8094-8100, as above) Letters to Banks, 1792-1799. Includes letters from John Churchman of Philadelphia, de Frappe, Abbé Mann, Thunberg and others.

REEL 5

Add MS 8099-8100 (Part of Add MSS 8094-8100, as above)

8099 Letters to Banks, 1799-1803

8100 Letters to Banks, 1804-1819. Includes letters from Cuvier, Guy-Lussac Delambre, Dunbar, CW Peale, Rembrandt Peale, Joseph Priestley, Redouté and others. It includes a letter from Blumenbach in Gottingen on the subject of the Platypus: “last Wednesday the Box with your highly valuable presents & ...Books (which last will be brought back by the next messenger) came safe to my hands & I haste to return you my most hearty obliging thanks ... It needs not to tell you how exceedingly I must be surprized by the view of so strange a creature as the Ornithorhyncus paradoxus - for, being under the necessity of christening it, I thought this a convenient name - taking the generical one from its most remarkable character, the Birdlike Beak ... I join a copy of the print of it which I caused immediately after its arrival to be made ...” (Add MS 8099, fo.16, 31 Mar 1800)

There is also correspondence from the Charles Wilson Peale and his son Rembrandt Peale (noted American artists based in Philadelphia) concerning their promotion of a mammoth skeleton. These give a useful insight into the commercialization of natural history and issues of patronage.

“Sir, This will be handed to you by my sons Rembrandt and Rubens, who carry with them the skeleton of the Mammoth so called, but what may properly be named the Carnivorous Elephant of the North ...”

“My son Rembrandt having talents for portrait painting, which he wished to improve by the advantages of viewing the works of celebrated Artists, induced him to project the plan of exhibiting this Skeleton in the principal Cities of Europe, and we hope that it will do something more than merely pay his expences, if properly managed. . Your love and knowledge of Natural History, ...induced me to offer my sons to your notice and patronage.” (Add MS 8099, fo.190)

The correspondence extends to all corners of the globe including Barbados, Berlin, Boston, Calcutta, Canton, Colombo, Copenhagen, Edmonton, Gottingen, Malacca, Naples, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, Sicily, Stockholm, Uppsala and Zurich and continues regardless of revolutions and wars. For instance, Rumford writes:
“My stay in this Country is very uncertain. I have formed a connection here which will probably induce me to pass the greatest part of my time, in future, in France ... Fortunately for me I have found an amiable companion who is as fond of these interesting pursuits as myself, and whose fortune will enable us to pursue them with effect. I hope, at some future period (on the return of peace) to have the pleasure of introducing her to your, and your Lady’s acquaintance.” (Add MS 8099, fo.309, 10 May 1803 - from Paris).

REEL 6

Add MS 8967 Miscellaneous papers, chiefly on geographical and philosophical subjects; in various languages. XVIIth, XVIIIth and XIXth centuries. Folio.

Add MS 8968 Papers and original letters, chiefly relating to scientific subjects, 1785-1818. In various languages. Folio.

Add MS 33977 (Part of Add MSS 33977-33982 Letters addressed to Sir Joseph Banks, Bart., PRS, chiefly on Botany and other subjects of Natural History and Science, many of them written from foreign parts; 1765-1821. With a few drafts of replies. Six volumes. Paper. Folio. Presented by Spencer George Perceval, Esq.).

33977 Vol I. (ff.283). Letters to Banks. 14 June 1765 - 26 Dec 1784. Includes letters from James Hamilton, JF Schiller and others.

Also included is “Mr. Foster’s rout from Jumbo in the Northern Mountains of Hindustan to Astrachan in Russia, 17 Apr 1783 - 29 Jan 1784”. fo.260.

REEL 7

Add MSS 33978-79 (Part of Add MSS 33977-33982 as above)

33978 Vol II. (ff.284). Letters to Banks. 15 Jan 1785 - 28 Dec 1789.

33979 Vol III. (ff.295). Letters to and from Banks. 7 Jan 1790 - 30 Dec 1794.

These letters are from correspondents all over the world including William Roxburgh, Alex Duncan, Sydney Parkinson and others. They include a letter from Banks to a prospective naturalist: “The Business on which you are employed being of an extensive nature, as it includes an investigation of the whole of Natural History of the Countries you are to visit as well as an Enquiry into the present State and comparative degree of civilisation of the inhabitants you will meet with, the utmost degree of Diligence and perseverance on your part will be necessary, to enable you to do justice to your Employers and gain credit to yourself. The following Instructions you will consider as a guide to the outline of your conduct ...” (Add MS 33979, ff.75-78, 22 Feb 1791)

REEL 8

Add MSS 33980-81 (Part of Add MSS 33977-33982 as above)

33980 Vol IV. (ff.329). Letters to Banks. 9 Jan 1795 - 20 Dec 1801.

33981 Vol V. (ff.3030). Letters to and from Banks. 11 Feb 1802 - 16 Dec 1809.

Featuring letters from Henry T Greville, Thomas Hardwicke, James Harrison, IM Matra and others. Also included in Add MS 33980 are a copy of the will of John Sibthorp, MD, Regius Professor of Botany at Oxford, 12 Jan 1796 (fo.49) and an account of an earthquake at Nottingham in Nov 1795 (fo.20). Also included in Add MS 33981 are letters from Christopher Towill on his invention of a lifeboat with plans (Teignmouth, 22 June, 26 Sept 1805, ff.208-220) and a letter from the inventor James Harrison on a modified cable for ships anchors with elastic properties. The latter begins: “The well known encouragement which you are want to afford every invention that promises to be of general Utility, and your ready comprehension of every scientific subject induce me to apply to you on an occasion which I am persuaded may fairly be considered as of national importance.” (Add MS 33980, fo.272, 3 Mar 1801)

REEL 9

Add. MS 33982 (Part of Add MSS 33977-33982 as above)

33982 Vol. VI. (ff.373). Letters to Banks. 20 May 1810 - 2 Jan 1821 and undated letters. Includes letters from Nicholas Carlisle, Grenville, Alex Johnston in Colombo, Henry Salt and others.

REEL 10

Add. MS 7085 Charts, Plans, Views and Drawings taken on board HM bark Endeavour, in the years 1768, 1769 and 1770 by Lieut. James Cook, Commander; all executed in Indian ink, by the hand of Lt. Cook himself. A list of contents is prefixed. Large folio

Add. MSS 8945 Collection of paper, chiefly relating to the navigation of the Indian Seas; with a description of the Falkland Islands. XVIIIth century. Folio.

Add. MSS 8946 Copy of the Journal of a voyage from Batavia in the East Indies for the discovery of the unknown south land by Abel Jansen Tasman, Aug 1642, June 1643 with sketches of the coast and natives. In Dutch. Prefixed are two letters from Henry Norris to Dr Solander, relating to the MS, dated Aug 1776. XVIIIth century. Folio.

Add. MS 8947 Abel Jansen Tasman’s Journal, translated from the original Dutch into English by Charles Godfrey Woide, Chaplain of his Majesty’s Dutch Chapel at St James’s, 1776. Prepared for Banks. Quarto.

Add.MS 8951 (Part of Add MSS 8951-53). Logbook kept by Capt. Charles Clerke on board the Resolution, on a voyage of discovery towards the South Pole, 23 Nov 1772, 21 Mar 1775. 3 vols. Quarto.

REEL 11

Add. MSS 8952-53 (Part of Add MSS 8951-53 as above). At the end is added “Extraict du voyage fait aux Terres Australes, années 1738 et 1739, par Mme des Loziers Bouvet.”

Add.MS 8955 Journal by Lieut. James Burney of a voyage to the Pacific Ocean with Capts. James Cook and C. Clerke, 1776-1780. Autograph. Duodecimo.

Add. MS 8959 Logbook of the Endeavour, Lieut James Cook, Commander, from May 1768 to July 1771. Folio.

REEL 12

Add.MS 9345 Sketches and views, in Indian ink and pencil, made in Capt. Cook’s first voyage from Rio de Janeiro to Otaheite, New Zealand, etc., in 1768-1770 by A Buchan. [See MS Add 15, 507] Oblong Quarto. [Bequeathed by Sir Jos. Banks Bt. in 1820.]

Add. MS 11803 a-m A large colored map of Islay, one of the Hebrides of the Western Islands of Scotland; three charts of the coast of New South Wales from Cape Morton to Cape Flattery, by Lieut James Cook,Commander of the Endeavour, 1770; two large colored plans of the Settlements in New South Wales by C. Grimes, Deputy Surveyor-General, 1796; Coloured chart of Port Dalrymple and the River Tamer on the north coast of Van Diemen’s Land, 1798-1805; Five charts of the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand, from Cavalle Head to Cape Kidnappers, showing Capt. Cook’s track in the Endeavour 1769. [From the Collection of Sir Joseph Banks, bequeathed in 1827.]

Add. MS 15331 A volume of miscellaneous maps and plans of parts of Asia, Africa and America, NB - Cook’s voyage in 1772-1775; Beauchamp, voyage en Mésopotamie, 1789; Route near Babylon; Partie méridionale de I’Inde, 1722; Isle Formose, 1722; - Isle de Ponghou; Pulo Pinan (two copies); Canal entre I’isle Monmouth et Bachie 1769; Engraved “Carte du Lac Menzaleh,” with corrections and a tracing; Rade de Funchal, 1734 (two copies); North American Lakes (two maps); Le Fleuve St Laurent (two maps); Montréal (three plans); Quebec (four plans); Californie; La Nouvelle Orléans (three plans); Rade de Pensacole, 1719; Bay of Conception; Quito. Folio.

Add. MS 15499 A short journal and nineteen charts drawn by George Pinnock, a midshipman on board the Dolphin, commanded by Captain Wallis in his voyage of discovery to the South Seas, 1766/7. Large Folio.

Add. MS 15500 Twenty-two charts, views of Headlands, etc., taken during Captain Cook’s second voyage around the world in the Resolution, of the Pacific and Southern Ocean, 1772-1774. Large folio.

REEL 12

Add. MS 15507 Drawings in Indian ink of headlands, bays, islands, etc. by A Buchan, draughtsman to Mr Banks, made during Capt. J Cook’s first voyage around the world in the Endeavour, 1768-1770. Large Folio. [Bequeathed by Sir Joseph Banks, Bt.]

Add. MS 15513-14 Ninety drawings, some in Indian ink, some coloured, executed by J Webber, during the third voyage of Captain Cook in the South Seas in the years 1777- 1779; contained in two large portfolios. [Presented in 1843 by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.]

Add. MS15743 A collection of large drawings in Indian ink, made by William Hodges during the second voyage of Capt. Cook in 1772-1774, NB Fayal; Tonga Tabu or New Amsterdam; Mallicolo; Resolution Harbour in St Christina, one of the Marquesas; Savage Island; Sandwich Island;Alietea;War Canoes of Otaheite; Otaheite; New Caledonia. In a portfolio, 4ft by 2ft 2in. [Presented by William Hodges.]

Add. MS 15855 Original Book of Orders and Letters of Commodore George Anson, during his voyage round the world in the Centurion, with the squadron under his command from July 1740 to December 1743. Interspersed are: Order from the Viceroy of Canton, 27 July 1743, fo.7; Letters - (partly in cipher) from Commodore Anson to [Thomas Pelham Holles] Duke of Newcastle, Principal Secretary of State, dated 4 Nov, 19 Nov, 17 Jan 1740, ff.44, 47, 64; Plan of the bearings of the squadron from the Port of Acapulco, 24 Feb 1741, fo.106; List of prisoners taken on the King of Spain’s ship, the Neustra Senora del Caba Denga, 20 June 1743, fo.141b; Letter from Commodore Anson to the Duke of Newcastle, with a narrative of his voyage, from 16 Jan 1740 to 16 Oct 1742 dated Canton 7 Dec 1742, fo.154; Letter to the same [Jan 1742/3], fo.161. Prefixed is a statement of the number of men, guns, stores, etc. in each vessel, fo.196 and at the beginning of the volume is entered in a Spanish hand some accounts of Gonzales de Salazor, relating to the duties paid at the port of San Francisco de Paita, in Santa Fé etc. in 1740, 1741, fo.2. Folio.

REEL 13

Add. MSS 17542-17548 (Part of Add MSS 17542-17551) Logbooks, journals and astronomical observations of the Discovery, Capt. Vancouver and the armed brig. Chatham, Lt Broughton despatched on a voyage of discovery to the South Seas, 1791-1795. The log books of Discovery are kept by Lieut. P Puget. Papers in ten volumes. Folio, Quarto and duodecimo. [Presented by Capt. WD Puget, RN.]

REEL 14

Add. MSS 17549-17551 (Part of Add MSS17542-17551 as above)

Add. MS 17552 Letters of George Vancouver relating to the voyage of the Discovery.

Add.MS 21593 A-O Charts and maps made during voyages of discovery in the South Pacific Ocean by Samuel Wallis, Commander of the Dolphin in 1767; Lieut. James Cook, Commander of the Endeavour, in 1769 and 1770; and Matthew Flinders, Second Lieut. and George Bass, Surgeon of the Resistance, in 1798, 1799:

A The Straits of Magellan, taken on board the Dolphin, 1767; drawn by Richard Pickersgill.
B The Island of Otaheite, by James Cook.
C The Society Islands; 1769, by the same.
D The South Pacific Ocean; 1769-1770, by the same.
E New Zealand, by Mr Molineaux, Master of the Endeavour.
F The North Island of New Zealand, by Richard Pickersgill.
G-H The Middle and North Islands of New Zealand, by James Cook; 1770.
I The North Island of New Zealand, by Mr Molineaux.
K The sea coast of New South Wales from Black Head to Cape Morton by James Cook; 1770.
L-M Survey of Botany and Broken Bays and Port Jackson in New South Wales, by Captain J[ohn] H[unter].
N Part of New South Wales, Bass’s Straits and Van Diemen’s Land by Matthew Flinders; 1798, 1799.
O The parts between New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land, seen in Francis schooner in 1798, by Matthew Flinders.

[See also Add MS 7085 for duplicates of some of Cook’s maps] Paper rolls. [Bequeathed by Sir Joseph Banks, Bart]

Add MSS 23920-23921 “A Collection of Drawings by Alex Buchan, S. Parkinson and JF Miller, made in the countries visited by Capt. Cook in his first voyage [1768-1771], also of Prints published in [John] Hawksworth’s voyages of Biron [Byron], Wallis and Cook [1773] as well as in Cook’s second and third voyages [1772- 1775, 1776-1780].” Two volumes. Paper. Large Folio.

REEL 15

Add MS 27885 Logbook of Lieut. James Cook in the Endeavour during part of his first voyage round the world; 12 Feb - 23 Sept 1770. Autograph. Paper. Folio.

Add MS 27886 Logbook and journal of Captain James Cook in the Resolution, during his second voyage round the world; 13 July, 1772 - 10 Nov 1774; preceded by an account of the fitting out of the expedition from 28 Nov 1771. Autograph. Paper. Folio. His first sight of New Zealand on this voyage is described thus: “Foggy wet weather continued till the evening when the wind abated and the Weather cleared up. About 2
o’clock we passed a piece of Wood & a quantity of Weed ... at 10 o’clock the land of New Zealand was seen from the Masthead and at Noon from the Deck.” (Captain’s Log, Wed 24 March 1773)

Add. MSS 27887 Account prepared for publication by Captain J Cook of his second voyage round the world; April 1772 - July 1774. Autograph. Paper. Quarto.

Add. MS 27889 A volume of miscellaneous manuscripts, mainly autograph, relating to Capt. Cook, containing the following items:

1 Table of contents, introduction and preface to Captain Cook’s journal of voyage. Autograph, except the introduction. fO.1.
2 Letter, unsigned, of [Captain James Cook] to ----, enclosing part of his journal for 1772; Mile End, 16 Feb, s.a.; ff.27-82.
3 Account of New Zealand from the journal of the first voyage in the Endeavour, 1769. Copy. ff.83, 131.
4 Sailing directions in the English Channel and elsewhere. fo.99.
Miscellaneous remarks, fo.133. Paper. Folio.

Add. MS 27890 Journal by Captain Furneaux of the Adventure in company with the Resolution in Captain Cook’s second voyage round the world; 13 July 1772 - 3 Mar [1773]; with corrections by Captain Cook. Paper. Folio.

Add. MS 27955 “Continuation of the Endeavour’s logbook” commenced by Captain James Cook in a scientific expedition to the South Seas; extending from 5 Nov 1768 to 8 May 1769. Autograph. Paper. Large Quarto. [See a later portion in Add MS 27885].

REEL 17

Add. MS 27956 Part of the log book of the Resolution, commenced by Captain James Cook, in an expedition in search of a southern continent, extending from 16 Oct 1773 to the close of the expedition, 28 July 1775. Autograph. In two parts. Paper. Large Quarto. [See also Add MSS 27886, 27887].

Add MS 32439 [Part of Add MSS 32439-32441). Correspondence and papers of Robert Brown, Secretary to the Linnaen Society and keeper of the Botanical Department in the British Museum; 1760-1858. The earlier portion relates chiefly to his expedition to New Holland, accompanied by Ferdinand Bauer, the botanical draughtsmen in HMS Investigator, under the command of Capt. Matthew Flinders from 1800 to 1806. The rest of the collection comprises his correspondence with distinguished botanists and scientific men during his keepership of Sir Joseph Banks’s herbarium and his subsequent appointment in the British Museum. Correspondents include Sir Joseph Banks, J Barrow, Ferdinand Bauer, J Blumenbach, George Caley, Bernard Cuvier, Michael Faraday, Matthew Flinders, Charles Greville, William J Hooker, Alexander Humboldt, PG King, JC Loudon, Richard Owen, Thomas Raffles, William Roxburgh, Sir James Smith, W Spence, Olaf Swarz, Thunberg and Dawson Turner. Several of the earlier and a few of the latest papers and letters refer to Capt. Flinders’ capture by the French and his detention in e Mauritius for seven years; and also to his scientific discoveries. Three volumes. Paper; ff.371, 406, 483. Folio [Presented by Mrs A Bennett.]

32439 Letters to Brown & Banks, 1760-1812.

REEL 18

Add MS 32440 (Part of Add MSS 32439-32441 as above) Correspondence and papers of Robert Brown
32440 Letters to Brown & Banks, 1813-1825.

REEL 19

Add. Ms 32441 (Part of Add MSS 32439032441 as above) Correspondence and papers of Robert Brown.

32441 Letters to Brown, 1826-1858.

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